A week of finals, touchdowns and celebrations!

For most teams, this will have been their 16th week playing touch in the O2 leagues and, by the looks of it, they will not stop there – but we will get to that later.

From Clapham Common – where the league runs four nights a week, a men’s division on Monday and also mixed divisions on Monday all the way through to Thursday – this is one of England and Europe’s busiest leagues. With 12 or more teams playing each night, it is no wonder that the league is also one of the most enjoyed by men and women.

The friendly nature the leagues are played in really set O2Touch apart from many other sports and, yes, you always get the competitive person in every team – and playing in the final. Everyone wants to enjoy themselves, but if 16 weeks of committing yourself to playing each week does not get your blood rushing and butterflies in your stomach, there is always something else to show for your efforts.

Team Scrumbags had this to say about the league, “We have thoroughly enjoyed playing in both the spring and summer leagues. The atmosphere every Wednesday in Clapham Common is exciting and fun to be around. We are in the final, but regardless of the result, it looks like we will definitely be entering into the September Shootout.”

For a full list of the leagues, tournaments and sessions, visit the In2Touch websiteand see how you can get involved.

The other leagues that have continuously grown over the past few years are the Surrey Quays league and Richmond league, which take place in Southwark Park and Old Deer Park respectively. Richmond, for instance, had only eight teams in the 2013 summer league. This year, that has doubled to 16 teams. There were two pools this season – one for the more competitive teams and another for those just looking to enjoy an afternoon and evening outside during the week with friends, family, university mates and even colleagues.

The winners of the division one competition, the Scrummers, retained their title after winning the league back in June for the fist time from a team that had dominated the Richmond league for the past couple of years. Scrummers, along with the three other teams that their friends and colleagues play for, have become a part of the league and made it that much more enjoyable, as the spirit and enthusiasm that they bring each week is starting to pass onto the many other teams. This has made the Richmond O2Touch league a league you make sure your schedule is clear for, every Wednesday evening.

The majority of the touch leagues in London are mixed. Meaning, in your team, you always need a minimum of two women on the field at all times. Having said that, there are also men and women’s only leagues. In the case of the women, this gives them a chance to shine and show the men what they can really do. It empowers them and gives them the confidence to do more, try a few tricks and play the game with like-minded people.

If you and a few friends are interested to get a team together, there are still many more leagues, sessions and tournaments coming up. The only way to find out what is happening in your area is to head over to the In2Touch website and take a look at the annual calendar of events: www.in2touch.com/england.